What is your worst fear?

Mbulelo Mpofu, Showbiz Reporter

HAVE you ever been bored to an extent that you would welcome any form of adrenaline rush?

Some resort to their hobbies and some to their under the carpet vices while for others, it comes involuntarily as nature’s unwelcome gift to mankind: fear.

Mother Nature just has a way with us, doesn’t she?

Nature sometimes has an element of surprise in store for humanity.

Recently, comedian Chris Rock stared fear right in the face and didn’t budge when he was slapped by actor Will Smith.

He must be one brave man because most, if not all of us, fear pain.

What is your biggest fear?

Is it a hissing snake or a growling lion?

Saturday Leisure took to the streets to establish what sends shivers down the spine of most people.

It is no rocket science that someone, somewhere fears something.

I guess it is human nature to be scared.

It makes all of us uncomfortable in some way.

Before we unravel some of the people’s worst fears, let’s take a look at some of the “weird” phobias that celebrities have, shall we?

Good.

It is reported that pregnant Barbados island singer Rihanna suffers from ichthyophobia.

Now, that’s technical right?

Ichthyophobia is the fear of fish.

I mean, most of us love the aromatic smell of cooked bream, don’t we?

Also, popular Harry Potter sequel actor Daniel Radcliffe is . . . wait for it, coulrophobia.

In simple terms, the actor is scared of clowns. In fact, he cannot stand them.

One Tholakele Nyoni said she feared the dreaded snake.

The fear of snakes is called ophidiophobia.

“I fear snakes for days.

Those reptiles are not only dangerous.

They are poisonous and with just one bite, one might get seriously injured, traumatised or even worse, die.

I was once bitten by a puff adder back in the day when I visited the rural areas and the incident stuck with me till this day so, snakes are not my favourite,” she said.

Mercy Khabo said that she is arachnophobic and the sight of spiders and other arachnids makes the hairs in the back of her head stand.

“It doesn’t matter whether it’s just one of those small ones or it’s the black spider.

I just fear those things to death.

The hairs in the back of my head stand, just at the thought of spiders.

If I see one, I’d rather leave the place.

That’s how scared I am of them,” she said.

Did you know that the fear of heights is called acrophobia?

Yes, it is. Acrophobic Nick Sibanda, said this fear has led him to be an indoors person and has basically deprived him of leisurely rides and so on.

“I love having a good time, but bungee jumping, zip-lining and scuba diving are not my kinds of things.

I just fear being on high places.

I even fear being in an escalator, imagine,” said Sibanda.

Pyrotechnic natural phenomena in the form of thunder and lightning can scare even the toughest of us and Chenai Goredema is one of those who take cover when thunder strikes.

Goredema’s fear is called astraphobia and she believes that all of us suffer from it.

“Truth be told, every one of us fears thunder and lightning.

I quickly tuck to bed when a storm rages.

The mere sound, even without the fireworks sends chills down my spine.

I don’t know, but for the life of me, my mind contemplates the prospect of being struck by lightning and that does not help my case,” said Goredema.

Sekuru Simba Mashava said only one thing scares him and that is syringes and the idea of being injected.

He suffers from trypanophobia.

“If there was another way that medicine could be administered besides injections, I would choose that one. Syringes are man’s worst enemy.

They are painful and unbearable.

This is the very reason why some people end up avoiding medical treatment and doctors.

They fear syringes and rightly so,” said  Sekuru Mashava.

Kevin Gumbo said he would do anything and pay any amount if his life was on the line.

This is because he suffers from thanatophobia and necrophobia.

This intense fear of death or dying is arguably one of the most popular among people.

“Don’t you fear dying?

I do.

I’d do anything to be alive really.

I feel like I still have a lot to offer so dying is not an option.

I dread death over everything in the world.

I fear both corpses and the actual act of dying itself.

“My worry with dying is with not knowing where my destiny lies.

It’s a scary thought actually.

What if I die and go to hell?

I wouldn’t want to go there.

I know that I’ll eventually die one day, but as long as I live, I’ll try to live my life to the fullest,” said Gumbo.

Usually, when the sun sets and darkness draws near, crime sprees start and that has made Khayelihle Moyo to be achluophobic.

He fears darkness to the core.

“I know this will sound funny, but trust me, I sleep with the lights on.

I fear being in dark places and I don’t take chances.

I have a phobia that someone is always lurking somewhere baying for my blood when I switch off the light.

“After watching a lot of horror movies, I’ve developed an intense fear for the dark.

It’s a pity that nowadays, electricity is sometimes switched off at weird hours of the night so it’s tough,” said Moyo.

Public speaking is an art meant to be mastered if one is to excel in it, but for Sandra Khumalo, the fear of speaking in public is her Achilles heel.

She is glossophobic.

“I’m an introvert and speaking in public is not my thing.

It’s not that I cannot do it.

Actually, I’m scared of doing it because most of the time I get tongue-tied when I have to deliver a speech.

This failure has dampened my confidence and made me fear even just standing in front of people, let alone speaking in front of them,” said Khumalo.

Phobias show that we are human and we are bound to be scared at some point in our lives.

Get in touch with us and share your fears.

– @eMKlass_49